Surfing Jaco 101: The Room2Board Left. As a volunteer at Room2Board, every new morning in Jaco provides us with a new option for a perfect day in paradise. After breakfast some of us go to work, choose to go for a hike, do some yoga, or in my case, check the waves. Jaco, while widely known as a great beginner to intermediate surfing location, is also a difficult location to get truly memorable waves in. It is always worth getting up early here, the goal is always around 7am or 8am, but it usually ends up being around 9am. Most days around 9:30am or 10am the wind changes from a light offshore wind (which generates a smooth, glassy surface on the waves, allowing for fun slowly peeling waves) to a moderate onshore wind (which creates less than ideal, choppy, close-out conditions) and returns to offshore most nights around 5pm just before sunset. As with many other surfing locations, the early bird gets the worm.

Surfing Jaco 101: The Room2Board Left

When it comes to wave conditions and quality of a wave, wind direction and speed is the most important factor. Around noon the wind is usually blowing too strong in the wrong direction for anything but riding whitewater straight to the beach, which for beginners is perfect. Given the subtle horseshoe shape of Jaco Beach,

The Horseshoe that is Jaco beach, ideal for some conditions, not so good for others.

Surfing Jaco 101: The Room2Board Left

the direction in which the current swell is travelling is also important. If the swell is from the north or northwest, there are waves that break to the right, great for natural-footed (left foot forward, right foot back) surfers. These break best just in front of Vista Las Palmas, the giant yellow hotel (Can’t miss it). Being a goofy-footer however (right foot forward, left foot back) I am constantly looking for waves that break left,

The Room2board left breaking on a small windy day, still looks fun!

being that it is generally easier and more fun to surf waves front-side, a.k.a. while facing the wave. When the swell comes out of the south or southwest we see lefts begin to form, and in my opinion none are better or less crowded than the Room2Board left.

Situated just at the mouth of the small Rio Naranjal, the rivers freshwater current creates, on most days, and interesting phenomenon when it meets the denser, saltier ocean water. The rivers steady flow churns up the water creating a section of turbulent water which almost forces the waves just outside this area to break early, peeling left on southerly swells.

One surfer rides a small wave at the Room2Board left on a less than ideal day.

Surfing Jaco 101: The Room2Board Left

A few surfers know about the Rooom2Board Left, notice the river flowing from the left of the frame.

Surfing Jaco 101: The Room2Board Left

The wave is not a world-class wave, but if you situate yourself between Room2Board (in front of the giant blue gate next door) and the river mouth around high-tide with offshore or even slight onshore winds you will see some very fun waves breaking here.

Line yourself up with this gate from the water and you should in a good spot.

Surfing Jaco 101: The Room2Board Left

Still somewhat of a secret spot being that the crowd in Jaco is usually densest in front of Vistas las Palmas, this is a great place for intermediate to expert surfers to repeatedly ride fast, punchy, lefts that have a very consistent shape in the right conditions. Perfect for practicing your small-wave surfing and acceleration. Steep and rampy the wave is great for snap turns, aerial maneuvers, and barrels given the right swell size and wind direction. There is no better wave to surf without a cab ride or rental car, while staying at Room2Board or in the nearby area. Go surf the Room2Board Left, have fun, exercise, and when you’re done rinse off in our outdoor showers and come have a cold drink by the pool or some grub at our Bar and Restaurant Chili Guaro’s.

Pura Vida!